Christina denies tourism slowdown reports
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew has denied news reports of tourism slowdown in the west coast of Sabah.
She said the hoteliers she met had an average of 80 to 90 per cent occupancy rate, adding that some were even fully booked in January next year.
“Maybe there is a drop in tourism in Peninsular Malaysia, but definitely not so in Sabah.”
She was commenting on Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) president Datuk Seri Winston Liaw's recent statement that the west coast had been experiencing tourism slowdown in the past two months, with up to 70 per cent decline in tourist arrivals, whereas the number of visitors to the east coast had increased considerably.
Christina, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said this during a courtesy call by the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) led by its president, Datuk Michael Lui.
She was invited as the guest of honour for KKCCCI's installation ceremony of its office bearers at Hakka Hall, January 1.
She said tourism was the third largest contributor to the State's economy.
Christina said Sabah had received 3.15 million visitors from January to October this year which brought in an estimated tourism receipt of RM6.8 billion.
Tourist arrivals from China had also grown 38.8 per cent, she said.
Additionally, she said the number of scheduled flights was also expected to increase up to 230 flights per week by the end of December from 216 flights in August, which would push tourist arrivals to an estimated 3.4 million by the end of the year.
Come March next year, Christina said she would lead a delegation to Germany to promote tourism in Sabah.
“We will be doing a lot of promotion not only to China, but also Europe to ensure a balanced tourism.”
While Chinese tourists made up the largest group of tourists in Sabah, she said her ministry also aimed to bring in more European, American, Australian and New Zealand tourists as well.
She said the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), which was expected to be completed in October next year, would also draw in major conventions and trade fairs to Sabah.
With that, she said more tourist guides, restaurants, tour buses and souvenir shops were also needed to cater for the large influx of tourists.
Meanwhile, she said communitybased tourism would ease the demand for hotel rooms in the city.
On another note, Christina welcomed KKCCCI's proposal to hire senior citizens to work at tourist information kiosks in the city.
Lui has suggested setting up tourist information booths sponsored by corporations at selected hotspots such as Jalan Gaya, Kampung Air and Segama, while senior citizens could be offered allowance to serve the tourists at the booths.
Christina said she recently approved setting up a tourist information kiosk in Sandakan and had instructed her officer to design another one for Gaya Street.
She said senior citizens who were still physically fit and healthy were welcomed to work part-time offering directions and good guides to tourists at the kiosks.
Meanwhile, Lui called on the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment to upgrade and enhance tourism measures and facilities in Sabah, especially Kota Kinabalu, amid the current thriving tourism industry.
He hoped that the State Government could create more business opportunities in the tourism sector to push the industry to crater heights.
He lauded the government's effort in introducing a series of tourism packages and measures to attract more arrivals into Sabah.
“I hope the government, businesses and the public can work together in promoting Sabah tourism, which in turn stimulates our State's economy,” he said.
Lui also thanked Christina, who is also Api-Api assemblywoman, for upgrading walkways and kaki lima (five-foot pathways) in the city.
“We hope the Deputy Chief Minister will ensure any changes in policy will not affect the operations of the business community.”
He also hoped that the government would come up with measures to address the economic slowdown and inflation to ease the people's livelihood.